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come il ciclone sta al sospiro di una mosca

English translation: like a hurricane beside a gentle breeze

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Italian term or phrase:come il ciclone sta al sospiro di una mosca
English translation:like a hurricane beside a gentle breeze
Entered by: philgoddard

20:14 Nov 19, 2013
Italian to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters / Autobiography
Italian term or phrase: come il ciclone sta al sospiro di una mosca
Contesto:

Mussolini era certamente più geniale di Francisco Franco. Aveva una fantasia mille volte superiore a quella del Caudillo. Il suo tempramento stava a quello di Franco come il ciclone sta al sospiro di una mosca.

Anything better that "just about totally overpowering"?

Grazie,

Barbara
Barbara Cochran, MFA
United States
Local time: 07:43
like a hurricane beside a gentle breeze
Explanation:
I think a literal translation of "sospiro di una mosca" would sound a bit odd, but you can still keep the idea of wind.

You could say "His temperament was a hurricane to Franco's gentle breeze".
Selected response from:

philgoddard
United States
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2like a hurricane beside a gentle breeze
philgoddard
5 +1as a tornado is to the sigh of a fly.
Dr Lofthouse
4His nature was a cyclone next to Franco's slight breeze
Janice Giffin
3as a hurricane compares to the breath of a fly
cynthiatesser


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
like a hurricane beside a gentle breeze


Explanation:
I think a literal translation of "sospiro di una mosca" would sound a bit odd, but you can still keep the idea of wind.

You could say "His temperament was a hurricane to Franco's gentle breeze".

philgoddard
United States
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 186
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Wendy Streitparth: Prefer the second option, with perhaps "like" a hurricane
8 mins
  -> Yes, that's a possibility. Thanks.
agree  Grazia Brunello
1 hr
neutral  Janice Giffin: Using the word 'gentle' next to Franco's name suggests a wrong connotation (to me).
4 hrs
neutral  giuseppina franich: I would skip translating"franco's gentle breeze"
12 hrs
neutral  Michael Korovkin: with Janice and Giuseppina
12 hrs
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
His nature was a cyclone next to Franco's slight breeze


Explanation:
another suggestion

Janice Giffin
Italy
Local time: 13:43
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 78
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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
as a tornado is to the sigh of a fly.


Explanation:
'..his temperament in comparison to Franco's was as a tornado compared to the sigh of a fly'

Dr Lofthouse
France
Local time: 12:43
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in ItalianItalian
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Shera Lyn Parpia: The original is so picturesque, it would be a shame to change it.
4 hrs
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11 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
as a hurricane compares to the breath of a fly


Explanation:
...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 11 hrs (2013-11-20 07:42:10 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I do not think flies can sigh; sopsiro here must mean breath

cynthiatesser
Italy
Local time: 13:43
Works in field
Native speaker of: Italian
PRO pts in category: 29

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Mark: I’m not sure that they "breathe" either. Apparently insects don't have lungs. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insect#Respiratory_and_circulat... It'll be figurative.
54 mins
  -> Some flatulence, perhaps? :-)
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